The ICC have bowed to pressure: Clive Lloyd

January 11, 2008 19:14 IST

West Indies team manager Clive Lloyd criticised the International Cricket Council's decision to replace appointed umpire Steve Bucknor for the third Test between Australia and India in Perth, saying it bowed to pressure instead of upholding the rules and spirit of the game.

Speaking to Brian Viner of The Independent, the former West Indies captain said, "This will come back to haunt the ICC. They [the ICC] have bowed to pressure instead of upholding the rules and spirit of the game."

The ICC axed Bucknor in favour of New Zealand's Billy Bowden for the match in Perth after India demanded the 61-year-old West Indian be stood down following a series of blunders in the second Test in Sydney.

"This is not the first time umpires have made mistakes, and it is not just part and parcel of cricket, but part and parcel of sport. It happens in football too, and in boxing, and some of us were brought up to accept it.

"What if Billy Bowden [Bucknor's replacement] makes mistakes in Perth and somebody complains? Bucknor is well respected, he's stood in 120-odd Test matches, and this sends out a terrible message to all other umpires," Lloyd added.

He expressed happiness with the showing of his team in South Africa.

"We have been in the doldrums for so long and the board has been very complacent, but if you are doing well, everything flows from there. The captain [Chris Gayle] is leading well, and the coach [John Dyson] has a nice, quiet way of going about his business. Things are looking up at last."

The West Indies were in a spot of bother at close on the opening day of the third and final against South Africa on Thursday. The hosts had rattled up 213 for one, a lead of 74 runs after they bowled out the tourists for 139.